Apple AirPods Max USB-C Purple MWW83ZA/A

Apple AirPods Max USB-C (Purple, MWW83)

This is the 2024 USB-C revision of Apple’s AirPods Max over-ear headphones, finished in Purple. Apple kept the acoustic design, aluminium ear cups and H1-based feature set of the original and changed the charging connector from Lightning to USB-C, alongside the refreshed colour range. It remains an H1 headphone, with one Apple H1 chip in each ear cup, Bluetooth 5.0 wireless listening, pro-level Active Noise Cancellation and the machined, premium build that defines the model. It should not be confused with any later generation.

The USB-C port turned out to matter beyond charging. With the firmware update released alongside iOS 18.4, the USB-C model gained wired audio over a USB-C cable, including 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio and ultra-low-latency listening, which the Lightning version cannot match. Wireless playback still uses Bluetooth audio, but creators and Apple Music listeners who want lossless can now plug in directly.

Key features

• Apple H1 chip in each ear cup with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
• Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode, switched from the noise control button
• Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and Adaptive EQ
• USB-C charging, plus wired 24-bit/48 kHz lossless audio over USB-C with current firmware
• Up to 20 hours of listening with ANC enabled, and about 1.5 hours from a 5-minute charge
• Digital Crown for volume, playback, calls and Siri, with knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions

Sound and noise control

Each cup carries an Apple-designed 40 mm dynamic driver with a dual neodymium ring magnet motor, built to keep distortion low across the range, including in the bass. Nine microphones support the system: eight work on noise cancellation and three pick up voice for calls, with two shared between roles. Computational audio on the H1 chips drives Adaptive EQ, which measures the sound reaching your ear and adjusts the low and mid frequencies to your fit, and Personalised Spatial Audio builds a sound field matched to your ear shape, with head tracking that keeps audio anchored to your device during films and supported music.

Design and everyday use

The stainless steel headband frame is wrapped in a breathable knit-mesh canopy that spreads weight across the head, the telescoping arms adjust smoothly, and each anodised aluminium cup pivots independently. At 384.8 g this is a substantial headphone, balanced by the wide canopy and plush cushions. Optical, position and case-detect sensors in each cup, accelerometers and a gyroscope in the left cup handle wear detection and head tracking. The included Smart Case puts the headphones into an ultralow-power state.

AirPods Max USB-C suits listeners inside the Apple ecosystem who want over-ear noise cancellation, spatial audio and a wired lossless option in one headphone, in the Purple finish of the 2024 range.